Seoul, Jan 7 South Korea's government has excluded former and current senior officials from participating in an investigation into the recent Jeju Air plane crash to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure a fair and objective probe, the transport minister said Tuesday.
Transport Minister Park Sang-woo announced the plan to exclude such figures from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, which is tasked with investigating the fatal December 29 crash that claimed 179 lives.
"To clearly determine the cause of the accident, we will continue the investigation in compliance with international norms and domestic laws to ensure fairness," Park said during a press briefing held at the government complex in the central city of Sejong.
Park explained that Chang Man-hee, chairman of the board and a former ministry official, and Joo Jong-wan, head of the ministry's aviation policy office serving as a standing board member, have been excluded from all board activities.
Furthermore, Park said data transcription of the cockpit voice recorder from the crashed B737-800 aircraft has been completed and that the separate flight data recorder from the plane was transported to the United States on Monday for analysis.
Regarding the controversy surrounding the localiser structure at Muan International Airport, which has been identified as a factor that exacerbated the accident, Park said authorities are well aware of concerns and will swiftly improve the structures at airports in consideration for safety, Yonhap news agency reported.
Earlier in the day, the South Korean government announced that it would continue to offer full support to the families of the 179 victims of the deadly Jeju Air crash, acting President Choi Sang-mok said Tuesday, as funeral proceedings were expected to conclude soon.
The bodies of all victims were handed over to their families as of Monday, according to Choi.
The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flight, carrying 181 passengers and crew, crashed at Muan International Airport on December 29, leaving only two survivors.
"Even after the funeral procedures are completed, the government will ensure that no difficulty faced by the bereaved families goes unnoticed, and we will provide meticulous support until all issues are resolved," Choi said during a disaster control meeting.
He also emphasised that the government, in cooperation with local agencies, will maintain communication channels with the families to continuously identify and address their needs.
For example, psychological support teams have been established to assist with the emotional recovery of the bereaved families and those involved in the accident response, he noted.
Emergency living expenses for the victims' families will begin to be distributed on Friday, Choi added.
The Financial Services Commission will assist the bereaved families by extending their loan maturities, he said. Additionally, if they require new financing, special guarantees will be provided through the state-run Korea Credit Guarantee Fund.
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